A day in the life of Young IMPROVEN consultant Pim

Young IMPROVEN offers young talents the opportunity to seize professional opportunities and kick-start their careers. IMPROVEN has put together an intensive development programme especially for starting consultants, which combines professional and skills training with working on assignments. There are three tracks within the programme: Business, Finance and Data Consulting, giving young professionals the opportunity to develop and specialise in the field that suits them best. 

Who is Pim? 

Pim studied Industrial Engineering at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. After graduating, he worked as an account manager for a year, but he soon realised that he was looking for something that better suited his profile and interests. When Pim was approached by IMPROVEN, he was immediately enthusiastic. The application process went smoothly: the interviews were positive and immediately gave him a good feeling about the organisation.  

Pim is now in the final six months of his development programme, the ‘soft landing’.
During this period, each Young IMPROVEN consultant chooses a specialisation within IMPROVEN; Pim has chosen Process Improvement. 

Learning by doing: Pim's project experiences 

During his time at IMPROVEN, Pim worked on a wide range of assignments, varying from process optimisation to software implementations. He is now in the middle of his fifth assignment, in which he adds value to the team by actively contributing ideas for solutions and improvements in the financial column within a large municipality. 

The project from which Pim learned the most began as a considerable challenge for him. He joined an organisation where change was a sensitive issue and frequent staff turnover made continuity difficult. In this dynamic environment, it was up to Pim to bring structure. 

“This project showed me how important it is to transfer knowledge effectively and deal with resistance,” he says. He also learned how essential it is to clearly identify different interests and involve stakeholders in an appropriate manner. 

What does Pim's day look like? 

Pim starts his day around nine o'clock by going through his emails, urgent questions and his schedule. On Tuesdays, the day starts at ten o'clock, when the team goes through the week and briefly checks in with each other. He spends the rest of the morning working on ongoing tasks, followed by a joint lunch and, if possible, a short walk. In the afternoon, he alternates between substantive work and meetings, which gives his days structure and variety. He finishes around five o'clock. After that, he likes to exercise or, on training days, travel to the IMPROVEN office. 

From theory to practice: the power of training

As part of the development programme, Young IMPROVEN consultants attend weekly training sessions on both professional content and personal skills. For Pim, the training courses are a highlight of his development programme and he attends them with great enthusiasm. The training courses are varied: some are theoretical, while others are practical and directly applicable to assignments.  
 
“I regularly have moments when I think: I recognise this from the training, now I can apply it in practice. This knowledge improves the quality of my work.” 

The training courses focused on personal development help him to approach situations and different personalities in a different way and to grow as a professional. The training courses that stick with him the most are the components from Advisory Skills and Personal Effectiveness (APEF).  
“APEF is primarily about connection: you get to know people, build relationships, and learn from each other. It is not only about theory, but also about personal growth. 

YOUNG IMPROVEN – Improvement begins with connection  

At IMPROVEN, it's all about connection: with customers, colleagues and society. With this in mind, IMPROVEN helps organisations in transition, at the intersection of Finance, Risk and IT. 

According to Pim, the Young IMPROVEN programme is ideal for those who are still searching for the right direction. “After completing your studies, you often know what you enjoy, but not yet what you really want. This programme helps you get to know yourself better.” He indicates that he has grown both professionally and personally: you discover what you are good at, what suits you and which direction you want to go in. What's more, you build close ties with your cohort and colleagues. “IMPROVEN is an open and social organisation where you are heard, and we convey that to our customers too.”